First winner of Brown Jacket Award revealed

The first winner of the IMC Club’s “Brown Jacket Award” goes to Andrew Dow, Chief Flight Instructor at Great River Aviation and Aviation Program Coordinator at Quincy University, Quincy, Ill.

The IMC Club International awards the Brown Jacket to one general aviation pilot each year. The award recognizes excellence in three areas: Flight proficiency, Continuing Education and Service to the aviation Community.

The designation publicly recognizes pilots who are demonstrating an ongoing commitment to excellence, professional growth, and service to the aviation community and it sets standards to which all instrument pilots can aspire.

The designation requires a process of continuing aviation activity and it is awarded annually to one individual only. In addition to the “Instrument Master” leather flight jacket, the winner will receive prizes provided by the IMC Club supporting aviation industry corporate members.

Dow began instructing in 2003 and within three years became Chief Flight Instructor at Great River Aviation. He is an adjunct professor and program coordinator with Quincy University’s Aviation Program and works as a Part 135 chief pilot. In addition, Dow volunteers as a FAASTeam representative, is an aviation merit badge counselor for the Boy Scouts of America and serves as chapter leader of the IMC Club in Quincy Illinois.

“I would like to congratulate Mr. Dow on being the first recipient of this prestigious aviation award. I would like to also thank him for his commitment to excellence and contribution to the general aviation,” said Radek Wyrzykowski, president of the IMC Club.

“I wanted to thank the Board of Review and the Board of Directors at IMC Club for honoring me with this award. The IMC Club is a great organization as it helps bring together pilots to learn more and share knowledge about IMC flying. I am very happy to be a part of such an organization,” said Dow.

The Board of Review of the “Brown Jacket Award” also recognized Larry Levine of the Rhode Island Chapter as the first runner up.

IMC Club, through its worldwide chapters, provides organized “hangar flying” focused on building proficiency in instrument flying. It’s the only organization of its kind.

Believing that safety and proficiency are developed through education and experience their monthly meetings use real world scenarios to engage members and allow them to share and build their experience.